It has been exactly one year since I started my (modified) NoS journey. I am happy to report that not only did I meet my initial weight/fat loss goals, but surpassed them, and have maintained my current weight for over four months. I have achieved a weight/fat loss that I only dreamed of before, and figured I would need to go on a super-restrictive bodybuilder-style diet to get. Not with modified NoS!

A big thank you to Reinhard for putting all this information out there, and for continuing to be a supportive presence.

1. Modify NoS to include any food (sweets included) at all three meals, and eat that way seven days a week.

2. Weigh every day. This keeps me on plan. I adjust my next day's meals accordingly, based on if my weight is up, down, or the same.

3. Pray before meals. I can't say enough about how important it is for me in being thankful to God for the blessings in my life, including the food that is on my plate--what a big difference this makes in staying on plan!

4. The biggie - make peace with the fact that weight/fat loss is all about reducing calories. However that is achieved, in the absolutely most non-invasive, easiest way to incorporate into everyday life, is what will work in the long run. Modified NoS does this for me in a way that I can live with, and works no matter what life situation I'm in.

Hopefully, some of what I've shared will inspire others. Please feel free to contact me, either on the boards or by PM, if you'd like more details on any of the specifics I mentioned.

Have a wonderful day and God bless! _________________I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
~Jimmy Dean

The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective.
~El Fug, on the NoS Diet

Great job Lifeisablessing! I love your testimonial and also am so appreciative of all your good advice. You are so supportive and have given me such good tips. I'm no where near perfect with No S but I love how you allow yourself forgiveness and adjusting when we go off plan. Also, your mod of nothing off limits has been helpful to me.

moderatemeals - I'm so glad I've been of help to you! Feel free to ask me any questions, anytime.

reinhard - I've been talking up NoS for awhile on another fitness board I participate in, so hopefully your common-sense message is going out even further. From the people I've heard back from there, they are thrilled with the ease, simplicity, and results they're getting following your plan. So slowly but surely, the word is spreading! _________________I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
~Jimmy Dean

The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective.
~El Fug, on the NoS Diet

What an inspiration! I had to come and read this after your wise responses to my post.

My faith also helps me get through the tough situations when my flesh wants to give in. I started leaving my bible out on the island counter so i can "snack on the Word" when I wander into the kitchen . praying before meals is a great idea!

Your stats sound like mine, except I am only 5 ft tall.

Do you think allowing for a small treat with meals helped cut down excess on the weekends? What do your s days look like now? Are they just like your no s days?

What did you like or dislike about IE? (Intuitive eating)

- Natalie_________________“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.

What an inspiration! I had to come and read this after your wise responses to my post.

Thanks so much, Natalie! So glad you can take some inspiration from my story. My main purpose in joining the boards last June was to be a resource for others, and I hope that I can help in any way I can.

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My faith also helps me get through the tough situations when my flesh wants to give in. I started leaving my bible out on the island counter so i can "snack on the Word" when I wander into the kitchen . praying before meals is a great idea!

Great idea too on leaving the Bible in an easily accessible location! This past Lent, I really tried to up my inspirational reading, and it really does make a huge difference, not just in eating, but in how my day goes. It is absolutely invaluable.

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Do you think allowing for a small treat with meals helped cut down excess on the weekends?

Yes it does! My mod, especially in the beginning, was to treat weekends like the weekdays. In other words, I ate three meals a day, seven days a week, without restrictions on any type of food. I kept the habit going not only through the weekend, but also during really special events--my last year included a graduation celebration, plus a wedding.

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What do your s days look like now? Are they just like your no s days?

Now that I've been comfortably at goal for awhile, I have "relaxed" the rules a bit. In the beginning, my "S" days and weekends looked exactly like my "N" days. Now, I do allow myself the occasional nibble on something, but I actually virtual plate it and account for it at the next meal, so in actuality, I'm still doing my original version of modified NoS, just "spread out" a bit more over the day lol.

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What did you like or dislike about IE? (Intuitive eating)

I think of all the other diets I've tried, IE was my favorite. In legalizing all foods, IE really helped me to learn so much about myself in terms of taste preferences and how my body reacts to certain foods. The knowledge I gained from IE actually formed the basis for determining what my meal make-up looked like in the beginning of my modified NoS journey last year.

My main dislike about IE and where I feel it goes off the rails is that it places absolutely no restrictions on the amounts of food eaten. Losing fat/weight will require some form of restriction of calories. You simply can't have unlimited quantities of calorie-dense foods and expect to lose weight. You don't have to eliminate those foods, just be smart about how much you're consuming.

Combining modified NoS with what I learned from IE was the perfect recipe for success for my goals.

Please feel free to ask me any other questions--as I've said before, I'm very happy to be of help! _________________I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
~Jimmy Dean

The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective.
~El Fug, on the NoS Diet

Apprentice1981 - I saw your post on Easter Sunday, but didn't get a chance to respond until today, when I noticed it's been deleted. Please check your PMs--I did have some advice for you! _________________I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
~Jimmy Dean

The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective.
~El Fug, on the NoS Diet

Congratulations! What a great check-in. Praising God with you! _________________Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

I was always a Vanilla girl in the past, trying to implement the sweet mod and failing. But recently seeing someone else do it successfully was an encouragement to try again, and so far, success! Thank you for not being too timid to post about it.

And I'm all for praying before a meal, too!!_________________"Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time." - Garfield

Thank you for your kind words, noni! Glad I was able to be an encouragement. Prayer has helped me so much in all areas of life; it's such a crucial part of my day. I can't begin to imagine going without it! _________________I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
~Jimmy Dean

The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective.
~El Fug, on the NoS Diet

Can I ask how much sweets do you have at each meal since you can implement it into any of your three meals. so can you give an example, and do you actually have something sweet at every meal? Thanks

Hi kachurka! I have sweets at lunch and dinner, but also add sugar to my plain Greek yogurt and cereal in the morning at breakfast, so I'd call that a "sweet" too. I add about three rounded teaspoons of sugar to the yogurt for breakfast. With lunch, I'll have either a handful of Hershey Kisses and/or mini Reese's peanut butter cups, a cookie, or a square of "quality" chocolate. After dinner, I'll either repeat the lunch sweet, or have a small serving of an ice cream treat, pie, or cake. For me, eating sweets in this manner keeps them under control and makes my eating events very enjoyable! I'm still maintaining my weight/fat loss eating this way after over two years. _________________I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
~Jimmy Dean

The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective.
~El Fug, on the NoS Diet

Another question about sweets, as that is my downfall if you had something very caloric like a ice-cream drumstick, would you allow yourself one a day, or set a limit? Thanks!!

You're very welcome, kachurka!

Those ice cream drumsticks are delicious, aren't they? But at almost 300 calories a pop, they fall into my "big ticket item" dessert category. So without a doubt, I personally would limit them to one a day at most; if you struggle with sweets, consider limiting big ticket items to a few times a week or less.

Some strategies that I find helpful if I know in advance that a higher caloric treat will be coming--i.e., eating out at a restaurant known for their yummy desserts, going out for ice cream after dinner, etc.:

--There is a lot of wisdom in the grandmotherly "save some room for dessert" advice, both calorically and volume-wise. If you have the option and know in advance a dessert is coming, limit your meal before it to a protein and veggie--no bread or starch item--and indulge your carbs with the delicious dessert!

--Remember, no matter what eating plan you follow, calories always rule. So if you know that you'll be having a 300-calorie dessert, you can compensate for the extra calories by cutting back at other meals, either before or after. However, if you have a tendency to binge/restrict, be careful using this strategy.

In general, it's extremely helpful to determine what your overall caloric needs are for the day, and to eat below that level for fat loss. Choosing the number of meals and what foods to eat to get those calories is highly individual. There are lots of theories out there on ways you can manipulate insulin, hormones, reduce muscle loss, etc., by meal timing and types of food to affect your overall caloric energy balance, but it all boils down to finding what foods you personally like, how they affect your individual biology, and building a reduced calorie meal plan around them that fits into your life as comfortably and non-invasively as possible. Try to avoid overcomplicating your approach--keep it simple. Complicated plans and theories go out the window the minute life gets in the way, and it always does eventually!